Thomas Robinson: Kansas, Jr.- Robinson only just declared for the draft, but it came as a surprise to no one after a great season that saw him rival Anthony Davis for the Naismith Award, as well as take home the Big 12 Player of the Year. Robinson possesses great athleticism and he's not afraid to bang down low. He uses his physicality well on both ends, and his quick first step should translate well at the next level where he should be able to take advantage of slower PFs. Only things Robinson needs to work on is developing a more consistent mid range game, something that has shown progression over the last twelve months, and he is also a little foul prone. All in all, Robinsons got a great NBA body and he should be able to contribute immediately to whoever drafts him.
Dion Waiters: Syracuse, So.- At 6'4", Waiters has a strong frame and his style of play reflects your prototypical combo guard. He has the ability to create for himself, and is very explosive in transition and off of the bounce, as well as for others, he averaged 2.6 apg in limited minutes while not always being the primary ball-handler. His offense game is not in question as Waiters can also spread the floor and has shown above average range from three. On defense he has had a lack of opportunities matching up with opposing 1s and 2s due to the 2-3 zone played at Syracuse, so it will interesting to see how he copes at the next level. Realistically, Waiters will play the role of a sparkplug in the NBA, as a guard who can spell both the 1 and the 2 with the ability to score.
Austin Rivers: Duke, Fr.- Averaged a little over 15 ppg with 2.1 apg, stats which were considered disappointing by many. Rivers is however, according to a few analysts better suited for the NBA, where he will be able to play in more isolation settings where he thrives. Rivers also possesses a great crossover and there is no denying his ability to score, he could do with adding more bulk to his frame as right now he projects as a tweener guard. Good fundamentals, and full of confidence there is no reason Rivers shouldn't be putting up 15 a game a few years down the line.
Picture of the 2011 Slam All-Americans, featuring Austin Rivers and Brad Beal front and center.
Bradley Beal; Florida, Fr.- Beal was overshadowed and forgot about at times this year, due to Florida's plethora of guards as well as all of the freshman sensations at Kentucky, but the kid can downright play. He has one of the finest jumpshots to come out of college in recent years, and he has greats mechanics complemented by a very fluid stroke. Also impressed this year with his ability to crash the boards, and even though he is listed somewhere between 6'4"-6'5", Beal managed to pull down 6.7 rpg. Throw in a great work ethic and the fact that he only turns 19 the day of the 2012 Draft and there's little not to love. Only things Beal could improve on are his ball handling and first step, but he should be a low-risk high reward pick for some team drafting in the lottery.
I have managed to completely over-analyze the last five years of the NBA Draft in every single way possible and here are my findings:
In the past five drafts there have been 29 colleges that have produced at least three pros. Here are the colleges in order of number of players drafted, with their best current NBA pro in parentheses:
and last but not least there has been two players drafted straight out of the D-League: Mike Taylor and Chukwudiebere Maduabum (No, I did not make that name up)
With the shortened NBA season coming to a close shortly, and teams starting to clinch their playoff berths I decided to take a look at which teams have a chance at the coveted Larry O'Brien Championship Trophy.
Bona-Fide Contenders: 1. Chicago Bulls- The Bulls are my personal favorites for the title this year after proving over the last month that they can not only compete, but win without reigning MVP Derrick Rose. It's unusual to see a team play as well as the Bulls have without their star, but a lot of credit should go to Thibodeau and his heavy emphasis on D. Throw in Joakim Noah's motor inside, and Luol Deng's emergence as that consistent second option and the Bulls are gonna be damn tough to beat.
Straight killin it
2. Oklahoma City Thunder- The best of the west, even if the Spurs currently edge them by half a game in the standings. The Thunder looked on the brink of taking it home last year, and after a full year of having Kendrick Perkins toughness down low, and another year of experience for the incredibly talented trio of Durant,Westbrook, and Harden it'll be a big surprise if they aren't playing for it all come June.
3. Miami Heat- The team everyone loves to hate with good reason as their superstars play with an arrogance that deserves their reputation, but you cannot deny their exciting play, or their ability to take over games with ease. Having James and Wade playing together is unfair, as the two superstars are a couple of the greatest to ever grace a court, but the fact they don't even boast the best record in the league is a reminder of their lack of character. All that said, it would be no surprise if Miami waltzed into the Finals, and took the title in 4 games giving Lebron his first ring, but for that to happen he's gotta show up in the fourth first.
In With a Half Decent Shot: 4. San Antonio Spurs- The aging Spurs, a title that I feel like has been with this team for the last three years, have experienced a revitalization led by the play of Tony Parker who has seen himself emerge as a MVP dark horse. Duncan's still getting his 15 and 9, and Kawhi Leonard is quietly having a very nice rookie campaign, and with Gregg Popovich at the reigns the Spurs just might have enough in the tank for one last hurrah.
5. Los Angeles Lakers- Any team with Kobe as their alpha dog cannot be counted completely out, but this is L.A's weakest team in a while. The addition of Ramon Sessions at the point has helped some what as they lacked a distributor, and Sessions has averaged 7.4 assists since joining the team. But throw in the downgrade at coach, World Metta Peace's becoming more of a distraction than an asset, and Pau's worst season in three years and its going to be a real struggle for the Lakers.
6. Los Angeles Clippers- The first time in YEARS, L.A has had two teams relevant when the playoffs are about to start. Led by Chris Paul, who in my opinion is the best pure point guard of the last fifteen years, and a player who has the leadership skills to get some of the Clips young guns going. Blake may be a little overrated and over hyped, but team him with DeAndre Jordan and you get a very scary frontcourt that is not by any means short on athleticism.
7. Memphis Grizzlies- The last team with any real chance at the title, has seen their record affected by the loss of Zach Randolph early in the season. But now with Randolph back, the Grizzlies may have the best frontcourt in the league with him, Marc Gasol, and Mareese Spreights. They also have Rudy Gay in the mix for the playoffs this year, and Mike Conley Jr. continues to surprise with his yearly development at the point. In conclusion, the Grizzlies were fun to watch last year in the playoffs and expect the same this year.
Best of the Rest: Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Dallas Mavericks, Philadelphia 76ers.
None of these teams figure to do too much damage unless the Celts hop in a time machine and head back a couple years, or if Andre Igoudala finds a magic lamp that turns him into '91 Jordan. That said they are sure provide us with some excitement, and create some memories as everyone knows Dirk's deadly in the fourth.
In the past three weeks, two Detroit Lions players have been arrested for marijuana possession in separate incidents. Mikael Leshoure, the teams 2nd round pick in 2011, was arrested after he was found "chewing marijuana", during a routine traffic stop. The police report states that the officer "saw small pieces of marijuana down the front of his shirt," and that Leshoure complied when ordered to spit the marijuana out. First and foremost, Why the fuck was he chewing marijuana? Like seriously, cmon Mikael, you may not be a Rhodes Scholar, but throw it under the seat, stick it in your sock, but for fucks sake don't stuff the god damn stuff in your mouth. His best option would have been not to have the weed on his person all together, as he was actually already arrested earlier this year for the same thing.
Then on Tuesday, the Lion's 2011 1st round pick, Nick Fairley was also arrested for marijuana possession. Multiple citizens called the police to report a Cadillac Escalade speeding through a neighborhood in Mobile, Alabama. The cops responded to the calls and pulled over Fairley, whose car reeked of marijuana, and there was also marijuana is his ashtray. Im not promoting smoking weed, but if your going to cruise at least don't do it speeding in your Escalade, attracting as much attention as possible. Fairley, disappointed in his first season after being drafted #13 last year and he seems to have character issues as well.
Hopefully these arrests will send a message to the Lions franchise about looking for high character guys, but having last years top two draft picks get arrested within a week is not a good look.
I know that this season ended less than 48 hours ago, but it's never too early to look ahead to next year. I've ranked the top teams for next year, based on some assumptions on who will declare and who won't, and these are certain to change before the season starts as there are still top recruits who are undecided. But for now:
1. Indiana: This is based on Cody Zeller staying, which is most likely. The Hoosiers will be returning their top 5 scorers from a very good team this year including Christian Watford, who has already ensured his place in Indiana lore with his buzzer beater against Kentucky this year. Tom Crean, also brings in a class that features three top 50 recruits, headlined by #16 Hanner Parea.
2. Lousiville: Pitino's squad will have plenty of buzz around it after this years suprise Final Four run. They graduate Kyle Kuric and Chris Smith, but they will benefit from having Wayne Blackshear for the entire year as well as getting Mike Marra and Rakeem Buckles back from season ending injuries. Peyton Siva, who seems like he's been around forever should also be a frontrunner for Big East Player of the Year.
3. Michigan: The Wolverines return all key components beside Steve Novak, from a team that won a share of the Big 12 regular season title. Throw in big man recruit Mitch McGrary,and a returning backcourt of Tim Hardaway Jr. and the explosive Trey Burke, and Michigan will be exciting to watch. The Wolverines also add Nik Stauskas, from St. Marks, who has unlimited range.
Check out the link: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAJl7Tgk97I
4. Florida: The losses of all time assists leader, Erving Walker, and likely lottery pick, Bradley Beal will hurt but they have plenty of guard firepower to replensih with. All SEC guard Kenny Boynton will be back for his senior year, and Mike Rosario and Scottie Wilbekin are more than capable of picking up the rest of the load. Also Patric Young has said he's coming back and he should become the dominant post presecene many expected him to be this year. The Gators should battle Kentucky for the conference title in what looks to be a down year for the SEC.
5. Duke: They only graduate one senior as well as losing Rivers to the draft, but after a dissappointing campaign from the frosh not too many are upset to seem him go. They return talent a plenty in the backcourt with Seth Curry, Andre Dawkins, and Quinn Cook all returning along with #14 recruit SG Rasheed Sulaimon being added to the mix. They also bring back alot of size with Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly, and with Coach K at the helm the Dukies can never be counted out.
6. Syracuse: A squad that's losing a lot of players with Kris Joseph, and Scoop Jardine graduating and Fab Melo and Dion Waters declaring. But, don't expect a drop off from the Orange with Brandon Triche running the point and Carter-Williams and Rakeem Christmas getting the chance to shine, and the addition of DaJaun Coleman should be huge. The Orange will be at top of the Big East.
7. North Carolina State: This high ranking is based on C.J Leslie returning, but Mark Gottfried's is loaded with talent whether or not he stays. Lorenzo Brown really proved himself as a distrubtor this year, and Richard Howell will be back to bang down low. Throw in the nations #7 recruit class, and the Wolf Pack will be looking to build upon this years Sweet Sixteen run.
8. Kentucky: The roster looks to be decimated, with Davis, MKG, Jones, and Lamb all leaving for the draft with Darius Miller, the 'Cats glue guy gone as well. Not to say Marquis Teague may also declare, but if he stays he will form one of the nations most exciting backcourts with Ryan Harrow, who is now eligible after sitting a year after transferring from NC State. Throw in Kyle Wilitjer, who barely saw the floor this year, and big name recruits such as Willie Cauley and Archie Goodwin, and Kentucky will certainly still boast talent. And imagine if they land Nerlens Noel or Shabazz?
9. Michigan State: One thing I've learned from watching college hoops over the last few years is, never count Tom Izzo out. The Spartans are losing do-it-all superstar Draymond Green, but they bring back big bodies Adrien Payne and Derrick Nix. Throw in Keith Appling, who made big strides running this point this year and 4 Top 100 recruits, and I'm certain MSU will be relevant come next March.
10. Memphis: Losing Will Barton hurts, but don't sleep on the Tigers who still take home the C-USA title easily. Having Adonis Thomas available for a full season, will reap big benefits for Memphis as the uber athletic forward possesses lottery talent. And Shaq Goodwin the #26 recruit will give Josh Pastner the size his squad lacked this year.
The winningest program in college hoops history took home their 8th national title last night, when Kentucky, the 2012 #1 overall seed beat Kansas 67-59 in New Orleans. A year after Jeremy Lamb captured the nations attention on UConn's fairy tale run to the title, it was a different Lamb, Doron Lamb leading the way for the Wildcats with 22pts. Anthony "Fear the Brow" Davis, was also a huge factor despite only shooting 1-10 from the floor, submitting a stat sheet stuffing: 16 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and six blocks. Kentucky was also aided by Jeff Withey being his typical useless fuckin self, and the Jayhawks bench managing to contribute for a combined 0 pts and 5 fouls. It was about time Calipari won his first title, and his recruiting philosophy finally paid off, it will be interesting to see if he continues to recruit in the same manner, or if he will now shift to a more conventional approach and look for more long term contributors. All in all, a job very well done to Coach Cal and the Wildcats, and thanks for providing us with one of the most exciting and entertaining seasons in history.
1.Congrats to Anthony Davis on becoming only the second freshman to ever win the Naismith Award. When you can be the best player in the country with a raging Uni-Brow you know your something special. Davis has provided fans with countless highlight reels dunks and alley oops, while providing the Wildcats with the best interior defense in recent college hoops memory this year.
2. The Jayhawks are going to have to get over their first half shooting woes, to have any shot at a chance tonight. So far in the tourney they've posted first half shooting percentages of 26%, 35%, and 36%, with their only good first half performance coming against UNC, when they shot 57%.
3. When a team is as good as Kentucky is this year they are usually easy to dislike, (i.e your typical Duke team, Hansborough led UNC), but thats not the case with the Wildcats. This years team is just straight up fun to watch, they share the basketball, they play unselfishly, and most of all they all just know how to play together. They also lack distractions that some of Calipari's previous squads have had such as DeMarcus Cousins, and Joey Dorsey at Memphis.
4. Tyshawn Taylor has got to be one of the most enigmatic, erratic players to ever step on a court. Taylor has come country miles from where he was four years ago, but he is still the cause of hundreds of Bill Self headaches and sleepless nights. Every time he makes a couple great plays, he finds a way to erase them with an ill advised shot or a forced pass. The perfect example of this came when he stole the ball with under five seconds left against Ohio State, and then proceeded to throw it straight out of bounds to give the Buckeyes another chance. All that aside, Taylor will need to have a big scoring night tonight, while keeping Marquis Teague in check for the Jayhawks to keep up.
5. To highlight the talent discrepancy between the two squads I took a look at the DraftExpress and NbaDraft.net mock drafts. Draft Express had five Kentucky players getting drafted: Anthony Davis #1, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist #3, Terrence Jones #11, Doron Lamb #33, and Darius Miller #36. This is without including Marquis Teague who they have going #16 in the 2013 Mock Draft. On the other hand, they only had: Thomas Robinson #3, and Tyshawn Taylor #28 getting drafted for the Jayhawks.
NbaDraft.net had: Anthony Davis #1, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist #2, Terrence Jones #18, Doron Lamb #23, Marquis Teague #28, and Darius Miller #33. For Kansas they had: Thomas Robinson #3, and Tyshawn Taylor #55. So in conclusion, Kentucky has pretty much five sure fire first round draft picks on their roster, while Kansas has only one. Thats a pretty glaring talent difference between a #1 and #2 seed.
Prediction: The young guns shine, and the Wildcats are too much for Kansas to handle. Calipari gets his long awaited first title. Kentucky by 10.
